Associations of body-mass index and abdominal adiposity with cardiovascular disease

January 01, 0001

Associations of body-mass index and abdominal adiposity with cardiovascular disease

Guidelines differ about the value of assessment of adiposity measures for cardiovascular disease risk prediction when information is available for other risk factors. The researchers studied the separate and combined associations of body-mass index (BMI), waist circumference, and waist-to-hip ratio with risk of first-onset cardiovascular disease from 58 cohorts. Individual records were available for 221,934 people in 17 countries. Serial adiposity assessments were made in up to 63,821 people.

In people with BMI of 20 or higher, hazard ratios for cardiovascular disease were 1.23 with BMI, 1.27 with waist circumference, and 1.25 with waist-to-hip ratio, after adjustment for age, sex, and smoking status.

The researchers concluded: "BMI, waist circumference, and waist-to-hip ratio, whether assessed singly or in combination, do not importantly improve cardiovascular disease risk prediction in people in developed countries when additional information is available for systolic blood pressure, history of diabetes, and lipids."

Perhaps BMI is oversold, but it can be the most accurate and reproducible measure of the three.


For the full abstract, click here.

The Lancet published online 11 March 2011 © 2011 Elsevier Limited
Separate and combined associations of body-mass index and abdominal adiposity with cardiovascular disease: collaborative analysis of 58 prospective studies. The Emerging Risk Factors Collaboration. Correspondence to: [email protected]

Category: T. Endocrine/Metabolic/Nutritional Keywords: associations, body mass index, abdominal adiposity, cardiovascular disease, analysis of prospective studies, journal watch.
Synopsis edited by Dr Stephen Wilkinson, Melbourne, Australia. Posted on Global Family Doctor 1 Arpil 2011

Pearls are an independent product of the Cochrane primary care group and are meant for educational use and not to guide clinical care.

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